Grandma’s Laundry - Small Retro Steps for Clean Clothes

My passion for eco-friendly laundry happened by accident. I am allergic to...well it is easier to say what does not give me hives. Years ago I had a battle of the dirty clothes, laundry detergents and dryer sheets were constantly giving me hives no matter which brand I used. I became so frustrated that I abandoned laundry soaps all together for a while and washed my clothes with baking soda. That got rid of the hives but did not leave my clothes with that yummy clean smell and it was not enough for messes that a baby could throw my way. Here is how I clean my clothes using products that leave me hive free, smelling great and with zero residue.

Washing

For laundry soap I love Biokleen products. They are so concentrated that you only need a tablespoon of soap for an entire wash cycle. For baby messes I add a scoop of baking soda and run the water on a medium temperature. I have also recently discovered a brand called Nellie’s which sell soap in small squares that last for a few loads. I am still on the fence about that product because I finally found something that does not flare up my allergies but I thought it was worth mentioning because it is the brand that I use for my dryer balls.

White Without Bleach

Bleach, just say no. Bad, bad, bad...get rid of it. There are natural ways to bleach your clothes and clean your home. The combination of baking soda and vinegar naturally whitens and hydrogen peroxide will also work. For washing machines just use your soap as normal but add some baking soda then pour a little vinegar into the bleach drop off for your washer. You can also whiten your clothes by line drying, for more on that see below.

Machine Drying

In the past I used Method dryer sheets because they were closer to nature and did not make me itchy. When I was visiting Eco Carmel a few weeks ago I found Nellie’s Dryerballs. I had heard of dryer balls before but never took the time to research why they are used. These stood out from others I had seen before because they came with lavender oil fragrance sticks which are placed inside one of the balls to give that yummy laundry smell. Here are some reasons to switch to dryerballs. 1) They are reusable which means they are better for our planet then dryer sheets. 2) They reduce the needed drying time saving you money and resources. 3) They naturally soften fabrics. 4) They reduce lint and wrinkles - this was a BIG selling point for me. I really hate wrinkled clothing and sheets but I rarely have time to iron! 5) They last about 5 years and each fragrance stick will last for 10 loads.

Line Drying

The best way for you to dry your clothes is line drying, it is easier on the wallet, leaves your clothes smelling great and naturally takes out stains. The down side is waiting for the sun! For me living in a foggy coastal beach town does not allow for outside line drying. For those of you in a similar location there is a solution. For indoor drying you will need to buy a laundry rack, these usually are more vertical then horizontal and work well for laundry rooms. The only downside is having enough space and heavy fabrics take forever to dry. The upside, other then saving money, is your clothes will last longer and colors will stay brighter.

Small Steps, Big Results

You do not have to have a complete laundry overhaul, small steps have a large impact. You could change just your laundry detergent or add dryer balls or line dry just a few items. You will be surprised how much money these simple steps will save and if you are full of allergies like me you will be hive free!


Online Resources
Biokleen: http://biokleenhome.com/
Nellie’s: http://www.nelliesallnatural.com/
How to use dryer balls: http://www.ehow.com/how_2123231_use-dryer-balls.html

Indoor Art - Review and Giveaway

This week is dedicated to organic and eco-friendly toys. Today’s post will focus on our little indoor artists. From crayons to paint our children love color. Sadly it always ends up on their clothes and sometimes in their mouths. Even though most children’s art supplies say non-toxic they should still not be in baby’s mouth. It is best to go with an earth friendly and healthy alternative. They are not much more expensive and are fun and easy to use.

Paint Review...for our Little Picasso

I was walking in a cute town next to my home last weekend and stopped into a shop one of my friend’s recommended called Eco Carmel. Not only was this shop earth friendly, it also had some of the most unique eco items I have ever seen. When I saw these Glob paints I just had to try them out, I knew I was gearing up for the toy blog and thought I would give these a try so I could tell all of you how they work and it was perfect timing because these paints are great for egg decorating.

Glob paints are made from botanical extracts and natural food-grade ingredients. The colors smell good enough to eat! All you have to do is add water. Based on how much water you add the paint can be used as watercolors, paint for Easter eggs, wood stain and play dough. Once you mix your paint you can put it in the fridge for a few days and it will still work.
When I used these paints I mixed them in tiny glass jars and added water until I had the consistency that I wanted. I painted the top of my box where I keep my embroidery floss, as you can see they were easy to use! I highly recommend this product. You can follow the link below to their site to order your own or if you are close to Carmel, CA you can stop in to Eco Carmel.

Crayons...hopefully for paper and not walls

I love crayons, they are the perfect thing to pack in your play bag to keep the kids happy during “boring” moments. Even though I do love crayons I do not love the idea that the baby will put it in her mouth and receive some questionable chemicals. The solution? All natural options like soy crayons. For these I turn to Earth Grown Crayons on Etsy. Not only are these products natural, they are adorable!

   ~ Meet MELISSA of Earth Grown Crayons ~ artist, wife, mother of 3. 

  ~ Purpose ~ her grandfather’s farm began her love of soy, years later she uses it to create all-natural and biodegradable crayons. ~ Design Inspiration ~ her love of animals and life. ~ Products ~ her crayons are from American grown soy and are free of herbicides and pesticides and the pigments are non-toxic, even the packaging is from recycled materials! ~ Her Favorite ~ the fish crayons, they are fun and popular! ~ Find her Products ~ on Etsy, earthgrowncrayons.etsy.com. ~ Win a Set of Fish Crayons ~ to win these fun fishy crayons become a follower of this blog and comment below that you want to be entered to win! You can enter up to 5 times, see extra entries.

For extra entries:
1. add earthgrowncrayons to your favorites on Etsy by following this link, http://www.etsy.com/listing/65867918/walleye-fish-soy-crayons-handmade-all
2. add Anya’s Green Baby to your favorites on Etsy by following this link, http://Anyasgreenbaby.etsy.com
3. Purchase an item from either of the stores
4. Bring a friend to the blog and have them follow too!

Resources
Glob Paint: http://www.globiton.com/color_blends.html
Eco Carmel: http://www.ecocarmel.com/
Earth Grown Crayons: http://www.etsy.com/listing/65867918/walleye-fish-soy-crayons-handmade-all
Anya’s Green Baby Etsy store: http://Anyasgreenbaby.etsy.com


Come back for my next blog post on outdoor toys!